diff --git a/meshmode/discretization/__init__.py b/meshmode/discretization/__init__.py
index 9340a982c6924fd1eac3982f364ab5009fd643ca..6a4fcda7565487d44ee49045871d9226762af2db 100644
--- a/meshmode/discretization/__init__.py
+++ b/meshmode/discretization/__init__.py
@@ -356,9 +356,9 @@ class Discretization(object):
                     "stride:auto,stride:auto,stride:auto")
             return knl
 
+        result = self.empty(dtype=self.real_dtype, extra_dims=(self.ambient_dim,))
+
         with cl.CommandQueue(self.cl_context) as queue:
-            result = self.empty(queue=queue, dtype=self.real_dtype,
-                                extra_dims=(self.ambient_dim,))
             for grp in self.groups:
                 if grp.nelements == 0:
                     continue